In addition to its own wide-reaching monthly new releases (see http://www.naxos.com/newreleases.asp), Naxos also distributes several leading labels in many countries around the world. Here is a choice selection of recent releases from some of these distributed labels.

ArcoDiva

Sergei Prokofiev’s score for the melodrama “Eugene Onegin” was written as incidental music for a centenary Pushkin celebration staging that Stalin abruptly halted and banned in 1936; as a result the work and the music went unheard until its recent discovery in a Russian archive and subsequent reconstruction. This almost unknown composition and its accompanying melodrama focuses on parts that Tchaikovsky, in his world-famous opera, didn’t set to music. Comparable with the best of Prokofiev’s music for film, it is both a deeply emotional and highly dramatic work.

BR-Klassik

In these live recordings from 2011 and 2014 respectively, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and its longtime chief conductor Mariss Jansons present, in their second release of works by Richard Strauss, two of the composer’s “heroic” tone poems. With “Don Juan”, the young and aspiring Strauss proved to be a prematurely consummate master of the symphonic poem genre. “Ein Heldenleben” (“A Hero’s Life”), written at the turn of the 20th century, ranks as one of the great touchstones for a symphony orchestra – and with its extensive solo violin part, for a concertmaster too.

Italian virtuoso flutist Raffaele Trevisani continues to exemplify such praise in this, his ninth Delos recording. His graceful elegance and interpretive warmth are evident in this all-Mozart program containing some of his loveliest music despite his rather low regard for the flute. A rare bonus is the faithful transcription for flute of the masterly Quartet for Oboe, K370. Mr. Trevisani’s three collaborators are members of the renowned Suk Chamber Orchestra.

Grand Piano

One of the leading composers of the Classical and early Romantic eras, Vaňhal played a vital role in the development of Viennese music between 1750 and 1780. He composed prolifically in many genres, including a large number of quartets, symphonies, sacred works, vocal and instrumental works. Vaňhal was at his most inspirational and improvisational in his keyboard Capriccios composed in the 1780s, which are some of the most creative examples of the Viennese Classical style and now available on record for the first time.

Oehms Classics

For her second CD on Oehms Classics, Sophia Brommer walks onto the operatic stage, presenting with Dirk Kaftan and the Augsburg Philharmonic a smartly conceived bouquet of arias ranging from Bellini and Donizetti to Verdi and Leoncavallo, French opera arias from Gounod, Bizet and Massenet, and all the way to “Glitter and Be Gay” from Leonard Bernstein’s Candide. Ms. Brommer’s many appearances on stage at the Augsburg Theater in Germany 2007-13 included starring roles of Konstanze, Pamina, Lucia, Liu, La Folie, Micaela, Lulu, Gilda, Violetta, Donna Anna and Mimi.

Ondine

Ondine’s new release includes works written in the last decade by one of the most important Finnish contemporary composers, Kaija Saariaho (b. 1958). Two of the works, the orchestral version of Quatre instants and Émilie Suite, feature the award-winning soprano Karen Vourc’h. Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg is conducted by the orchestra’s new Music Director, Marko Letonja. Émilie Suite is a 25-minute work based on Saariaho’s 80-minute monodrama Opera Émilie including three songs and two orchestral interludes from the Opera. The Opera tells the dramatic story of a true historical character, Marquise Émilie du Châtelet (1706-1749), one of the earliest woman scientists, who was also a mathematician and a physician. Quatre instant is one of Saariaho’s vocal materpieces, a song cycle in four movements. The songs, which are based on texts written by Amin Maalouf for Kaija Saariaho, reflect various dimensions of love. Terra Memoria is a work for string orchestra, originally commissioned by the Emerson String Quartet. This meditative work is dedicated “for those departed”.

Opus Arte

Praised for the 'self-effacing intensity and intelligence' of his playing, young Jordanian-born pianist Karim Said hailed by International Piano magazine as 'one to watch' here presents a compelling programme of early twentieth-century music selected to mark the First World War centenary and which reveals his captivating style. Six unique personal languages are explored in this debut album, as Said recounts a period of dramatic social and artistic change that gave rise to an early modernist style imbued with fragments of the Romantic past.

OUR Recordings

Fate blessed the Italian violinist and composer Arcangelo Corelli with talent, modesty, wealthy patrons, faithful disciples and extraordinary riches. It can be said without any exaggeration that Corelli was the first world-famous composer. Yet, for all his celebrity, only a handful of works have come down to us, with the Violin Sonatas op. 5 occupying pride of place. The sonatas presented here come from the second half of that famous collection, the music inspired by popular dance rhythms. Recorded in Copenhagen’s Garnisons Kirke, and featuring Michala Petri and Mahan Esfahani.

Solo Musica

Clair-obscur, a Renaissance painting technique in which opposing light and dark tones are used to symbolize heavenly and earthly elements, is the visual equivalent of the sounds the quartet produces. These two poles can also be found in the quartet’s compositions: two female and two male musicians in one ensemble create a unique musical energy. The main focus of the group is chamber music. The highly sought after ensemble concentrates not only on original works written for saxophone quartet but also greatly expands and enriches its repertoire with unexpected transcriptions and arrangements.

Sono Luminus

The title “Heavy Sleep”, is meant to reference not only the eponymous opening work on this album, but also to note the phrase’s allusion to death and eternal sleep. Each work on this album relates either directly or spiritually to the theme of death, rebirth, or both. Voices of other composers or allusions to their own or others’ works are also found throughout these pieces, often appearing as subtle homage to composers of the past. Together, these works offer a touching perspective to the close spiritual connectivity we all share as artists and as human beings, culture to culture, past and present. Composed especially for Bruce Levingston, one of today’s leading figures in contemporary music, by acclaimed composer and pianist Timo Andres, and commissioned by Premiere Commission, Inc.

Tactus

The great popularity of the harp in Naples began in the 16th century, during the Spanish rule. The harp was highly appreciated in Spain and was often used in the choirs of religious institutions, noble families and the royal family; its popularity soon spread Neapolitan musical culture. Giovanni Caramiello’s works sometimes contain elaborate variations on the theme; in other works what prevails is the faithful transposition of the melody. In most cases, the original theme is preserved, and only very occasionally are there passages so varied as to make it difficult to recognize the theme.

Timpani

The great popularity of the harp in Naples began in the 16th century, during the Spanish rule. The harp was highly appreciated in Spain and was often used in the choirs of religious institutions, noble families and the royal family; its popularity soon spread Neapolitan musical culture. Giovanni Caramiello’s works sometimes contain elaborate variations on the theme; in other works what prevails is the faithful transposition of the melody. In most cases, the original theme is preserved, and only very occasionally are there passages so varied as to make it difficult to recognize the theme.

TwoPianists

TwoPianists Records brings you a disc by oboist James Austin Smith in collaboration with pianist Luis Magalhães and harpist Bridget Kibbey. For the unaccustomed listener, most of the works are abrasively private and unrevealing in comparison to their gregarious, largely romantic neighbors. But if they were truly un-relatable, they would lack humanity, reject curiosity and remain forever opaque. To the keen, curious ear however, these works reveal themselves, shedding their frosty outer layer and exposing a warmth of expression, depth of atmosphere and a rewarding technicolor palette.

Accentus Music

It was a deeply affecting and appropriate farewell. The spirit of Claudio Abbado, the great conductor and founder of orchestras who died in January 2014, was present in music, words and silence. Thousands upon thousands came to the Basilica di Santo Stefano in Bologna and the Piazza della Scala in Milan to pay their last respects. In Lucerne, the members of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra paid tribute to this extraordinary man and friend with a deeply moving concert – “The emotional intensity was unbelievable; this could only be achieved by true musicians, by those capable of love.” (Neue Zürcher Zeitung) Friends and associates look back fondly on Claudio Abbado and speak of how they experienced these moments of grief and farewell.

St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre is one of the world’s most prestigious opera and ballet venues. Built in 1860, it is home to the famous Kirov Ballet as well as numerous international stars and ensembles. After the turn of the millennium it was painstakingly restored. Since 2013, St. Petersburg’s Theatre Square has been crowned with the “Mariinsky II” an imposing new arts and performance venue. At its inauguration on May 2, 2013, the acclaimed yet controversial conductor Valery Gergiev led a veritable who’s who of the classical music world in a concert featuring gems from opera, orchestral music and ballet; with modern dance interludes, the program encompassed the history of the legendary venue from its beginnings to the present day.

C Major Entertainment

The city of Dresden and the Staatskapelle Dresden have a special relation to Richard Strauss. Many of his compositions had their world premiere in Dresden and the composer dedicated his Alpine Symphony to its orchestra. The program on this DVD/Blu-ray, led by Christian Thielemann, includes Strauss’s aforementioned Alpine Symphony as well as his Four Last Songs and the Wolfgang Rihm’s Ernster Gesang, sung by soprano Anja Harteros, as well as the German premiere of the last completed Strauss song “Mallows” in an orchestral version, arranged specifically for Dresden by Mr. Rihm.

Dacapo

Simon Steen-Andersen (b. 1976) is a Berlin-based composer, performer and installation artist, working in the field between instrumental music, electronics, video and performance within settings ranging from symphony orchestra and chamber music (with and without multimedia) to stagings, solo performances and installations. His audio-visual work Black Box Music is a surprising, energetic, noisy and yet profoundly entertaining deconstruction of traditional musical drama. The starting point is the classical setting of a conductor in front of an orchestra – but quickly the scenery explodes in musical and choreographic energy ad absurdum, bending the conductor’s role through puppet theatre, hand choreography and eventually a musical performance involving tuning forks, fingers snaps, rubber bands and the construction of a musical machine within the black box. The DVD also includes Steen-Andersen’s signature work Run Time Error, filmed at the Royal Library in Copenhagen, as well as a short documentary and thus offers a fascinating meeting with one of Nordic Music’s most visionary voices today.

The Mozart Orchestra, founded by the late Maestro Claudio Abbado, brings together the best classical music performers in the world by mixing promising young talent and well-established solo artists. This documentary offers a unique look at Abbado’s work and on the classical music player’s job in contemporary times. The film narrates, both from the musical and human point of view, the public and private life of musicians. Also included is a long and unreleased interview with Maestro Abbado and concerts and rehearsals shooting in Bologna, Lucerne, Vienna, Madrid and Palermo.

Opus Arte

Teatro Regio’s 2013 revival of their highly successful 2006 production of Verdi’s Don Carlo celebrates the 40th anniversary of the theatre’s 1973 reopening. With traditional staging and lavish costume design, the production garnered high acclaim in the national and international press. Shown here in the four-act version, Don Carlo is the fascinating tale of father-son power struggles, adultery and love that borders on incest. The cast – under the powerful baton of Gianandrea Noseda – is headed by renowned Mexican tenor Ramón Vargas, and also features Ludovic Tézier, who has been hailed as ‘on of the best Verdian singers of our time.’ (ResMusica)